The Legend of Nexus: Zeidan and the Midnight Sun
by Vanyel Wolfshadow
Summary: A BESM game idea turned into story. OoT Link fails, Gannon wins. Fifty years later, we start over. Uses content from all previous games, including some made personally.
1. Prologue

"In the darkest of night, Link creeps along the ice cold, well worn spiral stairs. Holding his breath against the bitter cold of the night, he knows what awaits him at the top of the tower."  
Eyes squint in the darkness, peering at the enraptured listeners. The small fire reflecting off Amber eyes, dancing like little fire spirits. The speaker pauses dramatically, drawing in a deep breath. Every listener leaned forward.  
"Slowly, Link's right hand reaches forward for the latch that seals the great double doors. His hand trembles slightly, but he shakes it once and steels himself and pushes the doors open. He tightens his grip holding the cold steel Master Sword, the cool touch of it's magical metal soothing."  
The speaker takes a quick breath, stands up straight, and raises his voice dramatically.  
"And there he was!"  
The collected listeners jumped in their seats, eyes wide.  
"The Demon King," the speaker leans forward and coos softly."Fires burn dimly in braziers, surrounding Gannon in slithering shadows. He stood there, tall as a tree, still as stone, his red eyes glowing bright while he chuckled deep in his chest.  
" 'Why Link, you came,' Gannon says, his voice deep as a Goron mine, it bored into Link's very essence and inspired dread. ' It comforts me to know that there is yet still a single soul in all of Hyrule that dares stand before me of it's own free will. Have you come to meet your end, [i] Hero?[/i]' "Link narrows his eyes, like a cunning wolf. He shook his right forearm, slipping the grip of the Mirror Shield into his hand, and squeezed tight. "But, just as Link was going to dash into action, the entire floor beneath his feet collapses into inky Abyss, farther that he can see. As the Demon King levitates before Link, he summons a globe of dark swirling energies between his hands. Gannon laughs, and shouts to Link, 'Catch!'  
"Link swings the lithe Master Sword with all his strength, repelling the Energy blast back to Gannon. Yet, the unspeakable happens just then..."  
The speaker stands quickly, spreading his wings wide.  
"Gannon dashes tot he side," the speaker hops to the side, "and launches another energy blast at Link. Connecting squarely in the chest, Link is sent flying backwards, landing and sliding on his back, a deep wound steaming and sizzling on his chest. The Fallen Hero looks up just as the Demon King lands on one knee, straddling Link's wounded chest, one hand on Link's throat, the other holding another globe of fatal energy. An evil grin spreads across the Gerudo's face, splitting it in a grimace.  
" 'Courage, Link. You do not deserve it. So, allow me to relieve you of it's burden.'  
"A Golden Light emanates from Link's chest wound, and his left glove. The Light coalesced into the shape of a Triangle. Gannon releases the energy in his hand, and then grasps the Triangle. His red eyes peer into Link's as the Hero lays pinned, gasping for life.  
"The Golden Light dims, and absorbs into Gannon's hand, snaking up into his chest, then his neck, into his eyes. The Triforce symbol on Gannon's left hand, the one clutching Link's throat, glows with two of the three Triangles. And with a deft twist, our Hero has Fallen.  
" 'Noooo!' A feminine yell of rage and loss from the dark stair way. Princess Zelda dashes up just in time to see Link perished.  
" 'Ahh, [i]Princess[/i] Zelda. How... quaint.'  
" 'Why Gannon? Why..?' Tears stream down her face.  
" 'Because, Princess. It is my [i]destiny![/i]'  
"Gannon leaps forward and grasps the weeping Princess by the throat, just as he had with Link. He squeezed tight, and the Princess tried to grab his hand and ease the Demon King's grip, but she struggled in vain. She couldn't breathe, and this was causing her mind to become foggy. Her Magic failed her.  
" 'And now Princess, Wisdom. It is mine!'  
"But Zelda, possessing one breath left, released her Death Curse upon Gannon.  
" 'You may have your wish, but it shall cost you a hundred years of a shattered soul. We will be... back!'  
"And with that, the Princess melted into a Golden Light. Gannon's wish, turned the land of Hyrule into the shadow of his heart. Gannon screamed in pain as the Triforce of Power shattered into countless shards and darted off in the night. Wisdom and Courage fade from the Demon King's eyes, awaiting the Heroes' rebirth.


	2. Chapter 1: Kokiri Village

"No matter how many times I hear that story, I always get gooseflesh."  
Nexus looked at her twin brother. His slanted blue eyes seemed to be staring off somewhere. "What the matter, brother? We're supposed to be enjoying our birthday!"  
"Zeidan blinked, shook his head, then looked aroundlikehe was paranoid. "Its not that, its just... that... I don't know how to explain it..," he whispered.  
"Just try. C'mon, I know you well enough to know something is wrong. You're too mopey. Whats the bug?"  
"...Just," Zeidan sighs, "This time, seeing Bubo has given me a sense of foreboding, and I can't shake it. Like,"  
"Something bad is about to happen?" Zeidan blinks, and looks at his sister.  
"I agree, but we can't confront what we don't know. Father taught us that."  
A young Wolfos pawed up beside the twins, and nuzzled his snout into Zeidan's hand. "You're right. I'm sorry, sis/"  
Nexus kissed her brother's cheek and grinned. Zeidan smiled back, feeling slightly better.  
"Thats the spirit!"  
The Wolfos froliched once, and dashed off.  
The twins, holding hands, wandered towards the center of the Village following the sound of live music. Flutes, horns, violins and drums. The melody was light and cheerful, almost intoxicating to the soul. The music seemed to reach inside of you, and inspire laughs and mirth. The Great Deku Tree's branches kept them cool in the midday summer heat, the foliage tinting everything in a pale green light. Children ran and played, chased by Wolfos pups. The adults of the village, along with the Skullkids, played music on a stage modled to look like a golden Triforce, or handed out sweets and bottles of milk.  
Shops lined the base of the closest surrounding trees, spiral ramps snaked up around the trunks up into the branches were housing seemed to grow like wild fruit in the tree's boughs. Each shop had it's door closed, with a sign hung saying 'Happy Midsummer Festival!'  
Nexus lead her brother to a makeshift archery range. There was a wooden counter at the front, with a few bows and quivers placed for contestants. Set a some yards away were four targets pinned to hay bayles. The game keeper stood at the stand with a smile, waiting for players.  
"Oh no, not this time."  
"Come on, just this once? Please," Nexus batted her eyelashes and tried to pout.  
"Ha ha, no way! No one can beat you with the bow. Why would I want to willingly let myself lose? Again!"  
" 'Cause I'm your sister, thats why!" She picked up a bow and held it out to Zeidan.  
Blink, blink. Pout.  
Sighing, Zeidan took the bow. "Fine, just one game." He gave the Game Keeper a blue rupee.  
"On three," said the keeper, holding up his hand. "Whomever gets the most points on the targets in thirty seconds wins the prize. Ready?"  
Zeidan got ready, standing diagonal to his target. Both twins nodded.  
"One,"  
Zeidan narrowed his eyes, focusing.  
"Two,"  
Zeidan flexes his fingers on his bow, determined.  
"Three!"  
Before Zeidan had begun raise his bow, Nexus had already scored two Bullseyes. After the thirty seconds were up, Nexus had spent all of her quiver, and most of her brother's, while he had taken his time to aim and had only shot five arrows. He scored four of five of his arrows on mark. And Nexus's arrows,  
Well, after filling in the small round bullseye with arrows, she peppered her target so that the arrow fletchings made a multicoloured Triforce.  
The Game Keeper, not being new to the game between the twins, handed Nexus her prize: the Wooden Slingshot.  
Zeidan therw his hands up in frustration.  
"Gah! See what I mean?"  
Nexus kissed her brother's cheek again.  
"Thank you brother. You know I love you!"  
"Mhmm," he grumbled.  
Clapping from behind them bade the twins spin around startled.  
The bushy mustached balding Mayor was walking towards them while clapping.  
"Well done Nexus, Very impressive!"  
Beaming, "Thank you, Mayor."  
"And you Zeidan. Impressive as well!"  
Grumble. Grumble.  
"Now, now. No reason to be like that. I'm sure you excell in another area."  
"Like sleeping!" Nexus giggled and danced away.  
The Mayor loocked at the Game Keeper, then at Zeidan. His eyes sincere. Crouching slightly so as not to be over heard, "Maybe it's best to keep your sister as far from harm as possible. You're quick, and agile. With good eyes just like your sister. Yet, mayhap," he paused and looked over Zeidan's shoudler. The Game Keeper was standing beside them holding two small knives.  
"A gift, from the rest of us. Kokiri knives. Happy birthday, Zeidan."  
Speachless, Zeidan nodded his thanks, and took the knives gingerly from the Keeper's hands. They fit his grip almost perfectly, they just needed to be worn in. Zeidan unsheathed his two wooden swords, and replaced them with the metal Kokiri Knives. The knives slid smoothly into his horizontal sheaths behind his back.  
"Thank you."  
Both of the older men smiled, and walked away.  
Nexus came running around a tree, "Zeidan, come help!"  
"What happened?"  
"Stalfos attacked the pups. They've got one surrounded, and I can't get to him without help.  
Looking up, Zeidan only just noticed it was dusk.  
Twilight.  
"Lead the way!"  
nexus lead Zeidan around the Village's perimeter tuntil they came to a small clearing outside of the Festival's lighting. Two wolfos were fighting off Stalfos, protecting two pups, while the remaining pup was ringed by yet more Stalfos.  
"You help the Alphas, I'll go for the lone pup."  
"Alright," Nexus took aim of her new Slingshot and started pelting Stalfos, assisting the Alphas.  
Zeidan dartin in the fray, shouting a war cry. He hoped it would draw attention long enough to allow a sneaking Wolfos a flanking attack.  
Drawing both knives, Zeidan danced between two Stalfos. Slicing crossways and outwards, he finished his rotation bringing the knives back across again, and perished two Stalfos. Instictively, Zeidan ducks and rolls forward. Coming up, he was face to face with a Stalfos, staring it right in it's empty black eye sockets. Zeidan crossed both knives above his head, and caught the Stalfos's sword in the crossguard. Gritting his teeth from pressing the sword away from his face, he caught sight of more Stalfos around him.  
"Surrounded," he grunted.  
Five more swords rose, and Zeidan closed his eyes, waiting for the end.  
The flanking Wolfos launched his ambush, barreling through the amassed STalfos right into Zeidan's side, successfully knocking him through the throng on animated skeletons. The wolfos crouched to pounce again, growling. Stomping.  
Shouting?  
A group of adults bearing burning Deku Sticks, and Skullkids with their flutes in hand, rushed into the clearing. Withing moments, the Stalfos were dispatched, their remains coralesing into black orbs and then fading away into nothingness.  
Strong hands gripped Nexus on the shouder.  
"Why didn't you come and get help?"  
She was spun around gruffly.  
"Father! It was my idea." Zeidan rushed over to his sister's side, brushing off his clothes.  
"You couldv'e been hurt!"  
"But the pups, father. We didn't think there would was enough time to get help."  
Nexus inched closer to her brother, nudging his shoulder. Their father sighed, his face was flushed from the exertion of getting to his children quick enough. His eyes shadowed with worry. He looked at the Wolfos, "Are the pups alright?"  
The Alphas sat on their haunches, and nodded. One of the pups, the one that had been singled out, came up to Zeidan. It was pure silver, like the full moon. Her eyes ere the palest blue, like the colour of a nuzzled against his thigh.  
"You're welcome, little love. I'm glad you're okay," Zeidan reached down and itched her ears.  
The Mayor was talking to the Skullkids and Wolfos, urging the pups to stay within grounds during Twilight and the Midnight hours.  
"Come with me you two," and without waiting, their father walked away.  
For twenty minutes the twins followed their father in silence. Shadows danced along his clothing and short hair as he held a lit Deku Stick aloft.  
The silver Wolfos stayed with Zeidan, occassionally brushing against his leg as he walked.  
Finally, they came to the Ranch. The Wolfos pup sat at the gate to wait. She wasn't allowed near the horses. The twin's father lit half a dozen Deku sticks around the pup, and whispered a thanks of understanding to her.  
"You both know full well what it cost us to move this far into the Forbidden Forest," he began. He still walked, leading them towards the stables. "How hard it was to gain the trust of the Skullkids and their Wolfos friends. What Gannon did to Kokiri fifty years ago was rough on us. And yet, you two rush off into danger heedlessly, completely disregarding memory of this."  
"We're sorry, father."  
"I am of half a mind to punish you both."  
Sigh.  
"But, I know it is in your blood. It is part of a Legend, you know?"  
A story from their father? They both waited, silently. "The three Goddesses foretold to us a Prophesy, that a Hero would be born on Midsummer's Day, every fifty years. And that no other child would be born onto this day, save that very Hero. And he would be born not into any family, but a Kokiri family.  
The twins remained silent, they already knew this story, but their hearts still raced with excitement.  
"That is why the Great Owl comes each year and tells us this Prophecy. To keep hope alive, and to instill a sense of Loyalty, and Dedication. Of Courage. Tells us of the Fallen Hero, to help us better understand exactly what is at stake. When your blood awakens."  
Their father lead them inside the stables, lighting lanterns along the way.  
"Mister Rivers was kind enough to sell me his prized steeds so that I could give them to you. He has not shown them to anyone, nor has he told anyone but me. You see, these horses are special, like the two of you. As they are bother twins. Happy birthday."  
He unlatched a stall door, and pressed it open so the twins could see the horses. Both of them were tall and sleek, their muscles strong and defined. Their eyes were a soft brown, and looked filled with understanding. Yet, it was their coats that stood out. They were an off white, like cream with nutmeg. The coats had subtle highlights of roan, while their manes and tails were a bright orange, with red highlights. When the horses moved, it looked like they were on fire. "They're beautiful, father! Thank you!" Nexus pressed her cheek against her steed's front shoulder.  
"Aeos and Aethon," their Father said. "Their names. And whats more, is they are trained to respond to the Epona Grass. So, you wont have to train them for it."  
The twins were speachless.  
Laughing, their father turned to let the twins familiarize themselves with their new horses.  
"Dinner starts in half an hour, don't be too long!"  
After spending time using the nearby brooming kits, the twins took their saddles from the back wall, and adjusted them onto the horses. They lead the horses out into the paddock from the stables, and mounted. They could see the torches where the Silver Wolfos waited for them, the gate was closed.  
Grinning to each other, the twins urged the steeds into a fast gallop, and raced to the gate. The steed leapt clear over the gate and the pup.  
Barking with excitement, the Wolfos gave chase all the way back to the tree Village.

All of the Villager say along two long wooden tables. the tables were sitauated side by side, parallel, and draped with clean white tableclothes and laden with food. A great bonfirewas burning someways out from the head of both tables, lighting everyone as they ate hungrily.  
Ting. Ting.  
The Mayor rapped on his metal goblet, drawing everyone's attention as he stood from his seat. After looking around, he spoke clear and loud.  
"Happy Solstice everyone!It has been fifty long years since we had to retreat here. Thanks to the Skullkids, we have lived on. We have thrived through the Demon King's wake. In this enchanted forest we now call home."  
Everyone cheered and toasted to the Skullkids.  
"Today is also special for two of our... young ones. Ha! They are no longer our [i]young ones [/i],as today marked their seventeenth summer! Happy birthday Nexus and Zeidan!"  
More cheering, even the Wolfos gave voice.  
The Mayor waited til there was silence. A grave look upon his face.  
"Now, this pains me greatly. For danger is not something I wish to put you through. But," he stops, and looks at the twin's father who nods once. "But the Great Owl gave voice. A request, that I tell you about the Hall of Trial."  
The twins looked at each other, then back to the Mayor.  
"The old Forest Temple has crumbled with misuse. All except for one wing. It is said that the Fallen Hero was placed in this Hall as his tomb, by Sheikah, so that he may prepare the future Hero for his Destiny."  
Pause, bated breath.  
"Will you go, please?"  
The twins looked at their father. His face showed pride, worry, guild, but also, hope. They stood together, and looked at the Mayor.  
And nodded.  
"Not to sound too overly dramatic, but the fate of Hyrule, all of Hyrule is in your hands."


End file.
